Black Women and the Struggle for Equality

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The black females have been observed to be detained by their fellow males in various ways; in which the rates of incarceration vary from one region to another. Black females have also experienced various levels of discrimination by males which has impacted them, their families, and the entire community in different ways. The rates in which the black females are incarcerated by males vary based on the level of education that the women have, and also the level of civilization that the Africa women are in (Tawanda 3-10).

The detention of African women by males is more based on the traditions and the cultural values that exist within their respective communities. It has often been observed that African women seem to regard their males with very high esteem; to a point of ignoring any mistreatment that they receive from them. This tendency of males detaining females in their homes and neglecting them the chances of associating with different people from various places; makes the African women to be confined in their social cocoons which discriminates their ability to serve within the society (Lymn 26-64).

On this basis, therefore, the levels of employment in Africa for females remains very low because many women are denied educational rights by their males; which in the long run leads to very high levels of illiteracy among African women. As it has been revealed from various instances in Africa, the factor of educational denial to women by males has led to the significant low employment levels for African women (Tawanda 3-10).

For example in Ojuola’s case; being an African woman from Nigeria she explains how she was determined to go to the university and later become a banker or an accountant; as an effort to show how African women are devoted in their education, but only barred by their oppressive traditions and cultures. In the interview with Ojuola, she explains, ‘my ambitions were to become a banker or an accountant…’ clearly depicts how she was such a bright girl in her primary and secondary education; only to come to realize that all her efforts were useless as her marriage had already been arranged, and no one was ready to take her back to the University for further education (Lymn 26-64).

This male incarceration of females in Africa leads to very high levels of illiteracy among the African women, resulting in the lack of employment to the African women; which further affects various parties in different ways. From the individual’s perspective, the women whose rights to education are denied consequently lead to the lack of focus in their life; which further makes these females feel isolated or left out within the society (Lymn 26-64).

The women who find themselves in situations where they can not continue with education due to the oppressing traditions; further frequently find themselves at the dilemmas of deciding whether to follow the traditions which seem to favor men or not; leading to their alienation from the males within the society. In the article of the interview with Ojuola from Nigeria, she exclaims, ‘my parents had arranged for my marriage when I was ten years….’ which clearly shows how women had no choice in their marriages (Peter 5).

The families of the women who seem to face the problems of being denied their education rights also suffer the loss of the priceless human resource, which the given woman could have made in the case she was educated. In Africa for instance, educated women have played very significant roles to their families; where they have helped raise the status of their families and helped alleviate poverty among other deeds. For example, Pauline who is a Rwandan and an educated African woman helps her family by providing them with the essentials, through which the family benefits a lot from her. From her case, she even finds her husband a very good job, in which they both earn good salaries which they use to uplift their family’s status (Tawanda 3-10).

Society in general benefits a lot when their women are educated; as these women play a fundamental role in ensuring the welfare of the society. In Africa, this was well depicted by Pauline who on becoming a minister for women’s affairs and culture; was capable of providing the whole community with social amenities and as well as food. In the article women’s work, Pauline is brought out as one of the African women who is liberated out of education in which goes further to engage herself in works similar to those for men by becoming a minister (Lymn 26-64).

Black heterosexism refers to the act of blacks marrying their opposite sexes; while black LGBTQ refers to the act of blacks marrying or engaging in love affairs with their fellows of the same gender. In Africa, heterosexism is the most preferred mode of relationship and the one which is traditionally advocated for. In this case, the act of people of the same sex engaging in love affairs in Africa is an awkward act, and the people involved are regarded as outcasts in society. In an interview with Ojiola who is a woman from Nigeria, any act of engaging people of the same sex was regarded as bad to the extent of being considered a curse to the people involved (Peter 11).

Generally in Africa, the act of getting involved in love affairs with people of the same sex is highly discouraged and even described as going against the traditions. Lesbianism and homosexuality in Africa is an act that the people of Africa discourage, and even leads to the abandonment of the individuals who engage themselves in such acts by society. In this perspective, therefore, the Africans seem to put most of their privilege in heterosexism and try as much as possible to avoid lesbianism and homosexuality among their communities (Peter 7).

The prospects of the future for black women in the current trend are very promising following the civilization that is taking place among most of the countries in Africa. This civilization as brought by the colonizers took place through that they adversely broke most of the African traditions; thus playing a crucial role in ensuring that the women in this society are recognized and given positions in leading their respective societies. This was well explicated by Pauline from Rwanda, who was a very strong African woman leader in whom she displayed the good qualities of leadership by offering the society necessities like food among others (Peter 9).

More specifically, due to the enlightenment that is taking place globally, most of the women who had been previously oppressed by the cultural beliefs and traditions in their communities; are positively responding to the women’s global trends which ensure the right to education for everyone regardless of their sex (Lymn 26-64).

The current civilization among the various communities in the world is doing a lot in ensuring that the future of black women is well promising. On this basis, therefore, there are high levels of inter-racial marriages which enhance the destruction of these oppressive traditions to women; from which liberalization is ensured once the black women are married to the white men or those from other races; who in turn give them the freedom to express and realize their dreams (Oyeronke 7).

In addition, more efforts are made by the already educated women in Africa to promote and put more emphasis on girl education; in which the girls and the boys are given equal rights and access to education. This would lead to the future of African women being very promising, and shortly the issue of males preferring male children alone would be a thing of the past (Tawanda 3-10).

The issue of most Africans preferring male children more than female children has also greatly affected the position of women in Africa. It has been revealed that most males in Africa seem to prefer male children over female ones; based on which the perception of women in the society has been lowly appraised. For instance, in the interview with Ojiola from Nigeria, most men in the country preferred women who could give birth to as many male children as possible, while those women who could not give birth to male children were abandoned by their husbands (Tawanda 3-10).

The behavior of many males preferring male children was based on the idea that male children would always remain in the family and ensure security for the family. In this perspective therefore most males preferred their women to give birth to more male children than females; on the basis that the more the males the higher the security within the family. As Ojiola asserts in the article, ‘ The birth of a male child is still the source of pride and honor in Nigeria while that of female is seen as a failure…’ (Peter 9).

As it has been observed, many women today have been liberated by the current civilization globally which has led to the promotion of education among African women; leading to high literacy levels among the women of various communities. As a result, this has placed women in respective high levels of acquiring jobs similar to the ones males have in various parts of the world; as it has been evident in Pauline’s case from Rwanda who based on having education became a minister. In this case therefore African women, from the impacts of civilization can now assume similar positions as their white cohorts in other developed countries.

Works cited

Peter, Landsman.” Woman’s Work.” New York Times. 2002: 1-21. Print.

Oyerenko, Oyewumi. “The White Woman’s Burden: African Women in Western Feminist Discourse.” Chicago Times 2002: 1-18. Print.

Lymn, Thomas. “Ngaitana (I Will Circumcise Myself): The Gender and Generational Politics of the 1956 Ban on Clitoridectomy in Meru, Kenya”. London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1999):26-64.

Tawanda, Sanyikonye. “The Africa Feminism Debate: A Brief Overview”. Cape Town: Swallow Creations. 1999: 3-10.

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Black Women and the Struggle for Equality

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